


Gasping for Air

by Hive89



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: But now she has Peter, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Is Alive, Everyone Loves Peter Parker, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, MJ is a Vampire, MJ is alone, Romance, Smutty, Vampires, We like to forget Infinity war and Endgame happened
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23694811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hive89/pseuds/Hive89
Relationships: May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man)/Tony Stark, Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	1. Let the blood flow

The night was dark, wet, and cold. MJ didn’t know why she didn’t leave work earlier. She pulled her jacket closer trying to preserve whatever little warmth she could get from it. It would take her another 15 minutes before she gets home, and admittedly she wasn’t in the best part of town. To make it worst it after 12 and that’s when all the not so nice people in town begin to come out. Sometimes MJ wishes she didn’t have to work at the diner but honestly it’s one of the only places in Queens that pays any 16-year-old decently enough. Living on your own can be a bitch at times.

Suddenly Michelle notices someone following her. She slowly began to pick up her pace, trying to make it seem like she hasn’t noticed the person yet. A cold chill shivers up her spine as she notices the strange figure gaining on her. MJ decides to take a quick turn down a semi-busy street hoping that a crowd of people would stop the person from following her. But it came to no avail. Out of nowhere Michelle feels someone pulls her in an ally away for the public eye. She tries to call out for help but no one around even seemed to care about a girl potentially getting kidnaped, murdered, or worse. 

The mystery person placed a hand over her mouth in attempt to stop her screams. They continued to drag her further into the ally. MJ sees the light of the main street slowly beginning to fade, and soon the only source of light was from the moon and a low blinking light hanging above them. The fear began to rise more and more in her body. Michelle would say that usually a calm person. In most situations she can find some way to keep a level but this isn’t one of those moments.

Michelle did everything she could to get out of the person grasp. The more she struggled however the stronger the person’s grip got on her. It was like they were trying to squeeze all the air out of her. To make matters worse the person suddenly wraps their hands around her neck. It was at that point the tears slowly began to pour from her eyes. All hope of possibly making this out alive begins to fleet. This is it, she though, this is how I’ll die. 

Michelle Jones was never the type of girl to want to be save or rescued. At a young age she was always able to take care of herself. It’s not like her parent actually wanted to do that anyway. So it only made sense that she became emancipated as soon as she turned 16. She wasn’t fond of things like school projects and teams since the only held her back. Academic decathlon was the only thing the peeked her interest at Midtown that involved other people (primarily because it looked good on college applications). The concept of being a damsel in distress was always so far from her mind but never in her life would she want someone to save her. This is the exact moment she wishes Spider-Man would be his usual self and swoop down and save her. She doubts it. 

As much as she wants to give up, MJ knows that she can’t. She has to find a way to keeps living, to escape somehow. MJ reaches a hand out in attempt to grab the person’s hand so that they could loosen their grip around her neck. Next she kneed the person in the groin area hoping to cause any level a pain for them to drop their guard. Surprisingly, it worked. The person yelled out a pain, it sounded like a man. He momentarily dropped his guard and slightly released his holed on her. Michelle took the chance to finally break out of his grasp. Without any hesitation she takes off back towards the main street. 

As she was about to take her final steps back to the somewhat safety of the lit street a dark figure flashes in front of her eyes at an inhumane speed. It’s the man. MJ’s eyes grew wide in disbelief; how could he do that she though. She swore that he was far behind her. If she though that she felt fear before she’s wrong because in this moment Michelle found herself completely and utterly terrified. As she attempts to move back the man rushes forward and begins to chock her again, but this time he slams her against the ally wall. 

“And here I thought you were going to go down without a fight, but I’m happy, it’ll make this more exciting for me,” he said as he licks his lips. Another shiver ran down her spine unaware about what he intends to do with her. 

“Let me go you fucking creep,” She intended for it to become out braver than it actually sounded but it didn’t hurt to try. He didn’t respond to, he just let out a little laugh. Out of nowhere his eyes began to glow a bright red colour. Fangs that ran about an inch long descended as he opens his mouth. In that moment MJ realized that he is a Vampire. She’s fucked. 

The man rips her jacket off her shoulder to exposure he long slender neck. He quickly leans forward and wasted no time sinking his fangs into her neck. Michelle could hear the pounding of her heart beat getting louder and louder as more blood left her body. She tried to scream so that anyone could come to her aid. But the louder the pounding got the more faith she lost.

Slowly she began to lose concussions. Her grip on reality began to fade and finally she stopped struggling. There’s nothing more she could do but wait for her heart to finally stop. That’s when a twip could be heard shooting out into the night sky.

“Don’t you know it’s impolite to force yourself onto a lady?” It’s Spider-Man. He leaps forward into action. Using his webs, he was able to forcefully rip the man away from MJ., that’s when the noticed the glowing red eyes and the blood dripping from his lips, MJ’s blood. As if he suddenly began seeing red Spider-Man attempts to put as much distance between the man and MJ. 

“Do you know it’s impolite to interrupt feeding time?” the strange man asked. Feeding time, that’s what he calls it, I am just a meal to him MJ though. She can hear the fight happening beside her but she doesn’t have the ability to register any of it. Her attempts at staying awake became futile. As each moment passes it becomes harder and harder to keep her eyes open. She just wants to sleep. 

“MJ can you hear me, you have to stay awake,” she can hear someone calling her, shaking her. It’s most likely Spider-Man. How did he know her name she wondered but honestly she was too tired to care. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. Eventually she welcomed the darkness that surround her.


	2. He is Spider-Man

It had been nearly a week before Michelle finally woke up. Unknown to her, Peter had taken her upstate when he realized the rate she was bleeding out. At first, the doctors didn’t know if she was going to make it. The first 12 hours after bringing her in were the most crucial, but after that, she became stable. However, she fell into a medically induced coma; it was a waiting game after that when she could finally wake up. 

Pepper had attempted to call her parents, but they had no interest in seeing her. It was upsetting, her having no family, no one that cared to see her. That’s probably why Aunt May allowed Peter to miss school the past week so that she wouldn’t be alone. 

Peter spent his entire time that week between her room in the infirmary and the gym training. Each waking moment was spent going over that night. What exactly happened that night? What did he see? Was it all just the lack of sleep finally taking its toll on him?

That man's red eyes, speed, the blood on his lips. To make matters worse, the puncture wounds at the base of MJ’s neck. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that she got attacked by a vampire. But vampires don’t exist. The supernatural does not exist. Right? 

In a world with super soldiers, Norse gods, aliens, and even more to be discovered. It’s almost impossible to rule out the possibility that vampires do exist. In less than ten years reality of the general public has drastically changed. It seems like nearly every other week. There's something new coming to light. Whether its new tech or a new vicinity, there was always something. So maybe the idea of a vampire isn’t so far fetched. Whatever it is, whatever it was, it almost killed Michelle.

It was almost nightfall when Michelle woke up on Saturday night. She was disoriented, confused. She didn’t know where she was. Everything around her was immaculate, sterile is the best word to describe it. The constant sound of the heart monitor made her realize that she was probably at a hospital, but the room almost looked too lovely to be a regular hospital. 

“Ms. Jones, I see that you're awake, a doctor has been notified that you are awake,” a voice rang out in the room. She looked around in confusion, unsure of where it came from. 

“Um… may I ask… who are you, and where are you?”

“Oh, I apologize, I am Friday. I am the A.I that runs through the building. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”

“Okay, where am I?” 

“Upstate New York, at the Avengers Compound.” 

Wow, the Avengers Compound, how did she end up here? Is it because of Spider-Man? Did he bring me here? Michelle wondered. What made her so special? Why did she deserve to be here? A knock on the door takes her out of her thoughts. 

“Hello Michelle, I’m Dr.Cho. Friday informed me that you were awake.” Dr.Cho said as she entered the room. She’s young, and she’s pretty Michelle thought. 

“Hi,” Michelle weakly said, suddenly feeling a little unsure about herself. 

“How do you feel?” 

“Fine, I guess. I just feel a little sore,” That was a lie. She had a splitting headache, and honestly, she felt like she was going to throw at any moment, but at the same time, she feels famished. She could kill for some fries. 

“That’s good. Do you remember the attack, what happened?” God, she didn’t want to talk about this. Even though she just woke up, Michelle just wanted to wrap herself in the warm blanket and just stay there for the rest of eternity.

“Yeah… I do, I guess.” 

“Great, look here,” Dr.Cho said while proceeding to flash a little light in her eyes. Michelle flinches away. The pain in her head suddenly increased tenfold, but she tried not to make it visible, but she failed. 

“Ahh, is your head hurting?” 

“Yeah, a little,”

“Okay, I’ll get you something for that,” she wrote something down on her small tablet, and in a matter of no time, she left the room. Finally, she could be alone in her thoughts. But did she want to be alone? 

“Friday, are you there?” Michelle asked. 

“Yes, Ms. Jones, how may I help you?” Friday responded. 

“How long have I been unconscious?” 

“About a week”

A week. That’s a long time, Michelle thought. Then it dawned on her. It’s been a week since she was attacked. A week since she’s been in school. A week since she’s been to work. Shit, work. Without working this past week, Michelle doubts that she could pay this month's rent. It sucks that she's already a little behind. Falling even further, it’s highly unlikely that her landlord would let it slide. It sucks being strapped for cash.   
Let’s not also forget the decathlon team. A week without practice. Regionals are coming up soon. She’ll be damned that they would lose during her first run as captain. 

Out of nowhere, Michelle had a strong urge to pee. Thank goodness there was a private washroom attached to the room. She tries to get out of bed. However, the moment she attempted to stand, her legs almost immediately gave out on her, causing her to plummet to the floor. 

“Fuck,” Michelle whispered, “why won’t they work.” As she repeatedly hit her legs in an attempt for them to work. But the more she caught them, it felt like they got even more numb.

“Work, work, work,” she kept whispering. All she wanted to do was pee; why is this so hard. Why can’t something finally go her way? As the frustration began to build, tears began to spill for her eyes. The helpless feeling that washes over her almost became stifling. The walls of the room felt as if they began closing in around her. 

Slowly Michelle breathing became more labored. The rise and fall of her chest increased drastically with each breath. It feels as if all the air in the room is being sucked out of the room. 

Her vision starts going dark. She wasn’t in the infirmary room anymore. Looking around, it's like she's in the alley again. Cold and damp. The pain of that night shoots through Michelle's body. Fear courses through her body. He’s here. 

He’s going to kill me. The thoughts that her death is near, imminent is all that are going through her head. Her mind screams at her to getaway. 

A hand suddenly touches her. She tries her best to get away, but her legs are still dead. Helpless. That’s all she is. 

More tears run down her face as she attempts to scratch at the attacker. His red eyes are staring down intensely at her, almost as if he was attempting to pierce through her soul. It's frightening how much control he seems to rain over her body. 

Suddenly, as if her mind began to clear from a fog. No longer was she trapped in that alleyway. She was back in the small room. Then a warm voice rings through the room, “it’s okay, MJ, breath.” 

Michelle raises her head to see it was Peter kneeling at her, whispering to her, comforting her.

“You’re going to be okay, MJ, you just need to breathe.” 

“Peter? What are you doing here?” Michelle asked when her breathing finally began to calm down. Why is Peter here? How long has he been here?

“Don’t worry about that, okay. We can talk about that later. I just want you to focus on getting better,” Peter said as he continued to stroke her back. The slow movements helped to calm her body down. The tone of his voice surprises her. It’s weird. The Peter she knows is usually more nervous, timid. This is different. He’s much more calm, sure of what he’s saying. It’s refreshing how he could make her feel so relaxed from just talking her down from what she assumes to be a panic attack. 

When Peter noticed that she finally calmed down, he moved to get her back into bed. 

“Why did you get out of bed?” Peter asked. 

“I want to use the washroom, but my legs are numb,” Michelle calmly stated. 

“Oh, I’ll have someone come and help you okay. Don’t try to work yourself over.” 

“Peter, why are you here? Why am I here?” Michelle is still confused about why she’s at the Avengers Compound or even how she got there in the first place. What does Peter even have to do with any of this? She is well aware that Peter still has his Stark Internship, but she didn’t expect him to have any importance. It doesn’t make any sense. Looking at Peter, she noticed a hint of uncertainty in him. He takes a moment before he responds. 

“MJ, can I trust you?” 

“You know you can, Peter.” 

“I know, It’s just hard to say, if you know what I mean,”

Michelle began to get nervous, she didn’t know why. I probably because Peter started playing with his hands. A nervous habit she has come to notice that he has. Peter suddenly took a deep breath to finally admit something he’s kept close to his chest for a long time. 

“I’m Spider-Man.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll most likely be uploading once every two to three weeks unless I can write more. If you notice anything wrong in my writing, feel free to let me know so I can edit it. If you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to comment and leave a Kudo <3.
> 
> Thank you,   
> Honey


	3. It's Tony Stark

“I am Spider-Man.”  
.  
.  
.  
“Oh, okay.” 

“Wait. What? Just okay?” Saying that MJ’s response baffled Peter is an understatement. In a way, she suspected that something was up with Peter for a while, and him being Spider-Man was one of the conclusions she made about him. To be honest, it was between that and him being a drug addict. She’s happy that it’s the former. 

“Yeah, I guess. In the grand scheme of things, I kind of suspected that you were, but I couldn’t come to a definitive conclusion because I didn’t have any proof. Also, to be fair, you're not the best at keeping secrets.” 

A blush begins to creep up Peter’s neck. He’s well aware that he’s terrible at secrets. It’s even worse that part of his whole ‘act’ you can say. The concept of having a secret identity was intriguing at first until he realized how hard keeping a big secret like this is. It is a shame how many people know about his superhero alter ego.

“Thank you,” Michelle said softly, “if you didn’t save me I guess I would have died that night.”

“You don’t have to thank me for anything,” Peter responded, “I did what I had to do.” But that’s the thing MJ wishes it was something he didn’t have to do. Save her. MJ has never been the person to ask for help, to have someone save her. It’s a foreign concept to her. She doesn’t know if that fact that it was Peter makes it any better. Sure Peter was her friend, but the thought of him seeing her in such a vulnerable state makes her feel extremely uncomfortable. 

“What happened after I passed out?”

“He got away. I wanted to follow him, but I couldn’t just leave you there. The was a lot of blood, and your heart rate was dropping rapidly,”  


Fear. That’s all Michelle felt hearing that the man that did this to was still out there. She would have more comfort if he were like her, a regular human. Someone that she has a chance of winning against, however, whatever attacked her wasn’t human. Any chance of her defending herself was all shot out the window. 

“Peter,” Michelle started, “what was he? Have you ever encountered someone like him before?”

“No, I don't. I’m sorry.” 

Michelle lets out a heavy sigh, “do you think he’s a vampire?”

Peter lets out an uncertain laugh. He doesn’t even know what to think. All the signs from any form of pop culture would say that yes, he was a vampire. How does one also cope with the fact that blood-sucking creatures roam the streets in a world that is already wary of the unnatural? 

At this moment, he wanted to give her some form of reassurance that everything was going to be okay, that her life was going to go back to the way it was before. That was far from the truth. The imprint that has been left on her by that thing is going to follow her for a long time. And even if she wasn’t, merely knowing that he’s Spider-Man lets her into a world he would never want her to see. 

“He could be, but I don’t know.”

“Anything else it could be?”

“I’m not that sure. Mr.Stark is looking into it. Seeing if it’ll become a threat to global security or something like that. I didn’t stick around for that part.”

Okay, the Avengers are looking into this, or whatever is left of them, that is. She’ll be fine. She’ll be fine. Will she? 

"Peter, why did you bring me here? When you could have just dropped me off at a hospital. You didn't have to reveal yourself to me if you have just done that."

Peter takes a moment and then looks into her eyes as he tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I know, but you're my friend. I didn't trust anyone else to take care of you. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you." 

Michelle never noticed how beautiful Peter's eyes were. They were a lovely shade of chocolate brown, but held aspects of gold that shimmered when the light hit his eyes. His eyes were always so expressive. You could always tell when he's happy, sad, or nervous. Following the death of his uncle, the year prior, the sadness that they held took so long before they finally had disappeared. It eventually was replaced by a newfound confidence. Peter became more sure of himself. 

"That's kind of you," Michelle whispered. Peter's hand never felt it's place from the side of her face. The insanity of his gaze made the room feel as if the temperature had just increased by 10 degrees. Her heart rate sped up when she realized that he's making no effort to move. It's also as if he's just as lost as her. As if the two are trapped in a daze of want and need.

She wants to say something, she does, but she didn't want the moment ruined by any sudden movements. She wanted it to last. Whatever this was. She licks her lips as her eyes went towards his. Michelle was tempted, itching to kiss him. No matter what the consequences may be. In this room, there was nothing but him and her. That was all that matters. 

If she could have gotten up to sit on his lap, she would have, but she knew if she tried that, it would ruin the moment. It's funny Michelle doesn't consider Peter, a close friend. He doesn't know the most intimate details of her life or anything. However, that was only because she refused to let him know anything. She's scared of letting him get close. Afraid of him seeing how fucked up and chaotic her life is despite how calm she attempts to make everything seem. In her time trying to push Peter away more and more continuously, she began actually to fall for him. 

For so long, she tried to suppress it, keep it hidden in hopes that whatever she feels would go away, but it doesn't. All that ever happened was her feelings grew more and more as each day passed. Being in the infirmary room with just him, all that resolve she built up seemed to have just dissipated in an instant. 

"Hey MJ," Peter softly whispered. The deepness of his voice surprised her, sending shivers down her spine, causing her to let out a small moan. The instant it happened, Michelle's body became hot with embarrassment. 

"Yeah, Peter?"

He loves the way his name rolls off her tongue. 

"Can I-," before he could finish the door of the room opened, stepping Tony Stark. 

"Oh god, you could cut the sexual tension in this room with a knife." 

Quickly Peter backs away from MJ, both teens blushing furiously from being caught in such an intimate moment. 

“And here I thought I would come to deliver some medication and invite this lovely young lady to have dinner with us, but I see Peter that you already have your hands all over her,” Tony laughed.

“Stop trying to make it seem like we were doing some,” Peter exclaimed, his face becoming redder and redder. This is the Peter she knew. The one that gets easily flustered and embarrassed. The one that she fell for. 

“Relax, kid, I’m just pulling your leg,” Tony said, then he looked at Michelle as he hands a small pill pack and water, “Dr. Cho said to take that, and your migraine should subside. And I’m Tony if you couldn’t tell.”

“Thank you,” Michelle said as she downed the pills. They taste like shit. 

“I’m Michelle, but my friends call me MJ.”

“Nice to finally meet you, MJ,” Tony said, “so besides almost pushing your tongue down each other's throats, what are you two up too?”

Peter sighed, “did you want something?” 

“I did say I came to ask you guys to come to eat, but if your too cool for food I would gladly take my leave,” 

“Yeah, that would be great,” Michelle responded, “but I can’t really move right now. My legs are numb.” 

“That is unfortunate, but it's expected you were in a coma for about a week. I’ll grab you a wheelchair,” 

“Oh, and a change of clothes as,” Michelle calls out as Tony exits the room.   
  
“Will do.” 

Just like that, they were alone again. Thankfully things aren't as intense as earlier. It’s a mystery why the situation wasn't awkward, but she was grateful for that. The only problem was that she didn’t know what to say to him. It looked like he didn’t know either. At least nothing had actually happened between them. Deep down, she knows that she’s lying to herself. 

“So that’s the great Tony Stark. Honestly, I expected him to be taller,” Michelle said suddenly out of the blue. After there was a pregnant pause. Moments later, Peter burst out laughing. 

“You’re right, but don’t say that around him unless you intend to piss him off,” Peter said as he continues to laugh. 

“Weird that a man like Tony Stark is insecure about something as trivial as height,” Michelle said as she pondered on that. 

Tony Stark, the living legend. The man that’s brave enough to put on a mental suit and fly a missile threw a hole in the sky. The man that told the government basically to go fuck themselves is insecure about of all things his height. It kinda humanizes him in a way. Brings him down to a more human level that is usually covered by a layer of overperformed public persona. 

“MJ?” Peter asked.

“Yeah?” 

“Can I ask you something?”

“You already did, Peter,” Michelle laughed. Peter sighed, she’s so annoying sometimes.

“How are you actually doing? And I don’t just mean physically.” 

She didn’t expect him to ask that. How was he even supposed to respond to that? Should she just lie and say that she’s fine? That she’ll get over it? Would that make everyone feel better? Or does he actually care to know? Does he want to see that she’s terrified about going back home? That the thought of being alone when the creature that attacked her is still out there. That it roams in the neighborhood she lives in. It can come back and kill her at any moment. 

“M, you with me?” Peter asked as he brought her out of her train of thought. 

“Um… yeah, sorry. I’m fine, I guess. As fine as I could be at the moment,” Michelle knew Peter wanted her to continue, to be more in-depth, but this was all he was gonna get at this moment. Nothing more, nothing less. She hoped that her silence would act as a good enough indicator that she didn’t want to continue this conversation, and it probably was; however, it takes another knock on the door to finally break the defending silence. It was a nurse. She was probably there to help her change. 

Sensing that she needs some privacy, Peter excused himself from the room, telling her that he would be back to take her to dinner. When she finally got to use the washroom, refreshing herself up and then changed into the simple sweats provided with the assistance of the nurse, Peter returned to help her as promised.

Michelle was happy that by the time that Peter did return, her legs started to work again. Sure, they’re not at 100%, but at least she didn’t need the wheelchair. She just required some extra assistance walking which Peter was more than eager to provide. She is extremely grateful for him. 

Thoughts about what could have happened if he didn’t show up consume her. She would have been dead in an alleyway. Since her parent didn’t give a shit about her, she probably would have ended up in an unmarked grave with no proof of her existence. She would of become a member of the unsolved club (referring to famous murders that no one can seem to solve, that only breeds conspiracy theories). It’s terrifying to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t been there. 

“MJ, you okay? You’re breathing heavy again,” Peter questioned, his voice laced with concern as they walk through the halls. 

“I’m fine, just thinking about some stuff.”

“I know you probably don’t want to talk about any of this, especially to me probably, just remember that I’ll be there whenever you need me. Okay?” 

“Okay,” she responded with a weak smile, “so tell me about how you became Spider-Man.” 

As he began telling his tale of being bitten by a radioactive spider, at that moment, Michelle felt content for the first time since she woke from her week-long slumber. She doesn’t know what it is about Peter Parker. She doesn’t know what made her fall for him or even when she did, but she’s happy that she did. 


	4. Chapter 4

Michelle never imagined having dinner with a billionaire and his CEO wife. It's even weirder considering how uneventful it was, like a typical family dinner. It surprised her how well Peter also fits into their dynamic. Like he naturally belongs here. It's nice. 

Nothing much was said during dinner, not that she would have noticed anyway. Michelle found it hard to focus on whatever they talked about, mainly because she was feeling overwhelmed. Her brain was screaming at her that she didn't belong with them. That it isn't her world, she didn't belong. It was like everyone else at the table could sense her discomfort, so for most of the dinner, they left her alone. 

When Pepper Potts attempted to start a conversation when Tony and Peter went for desert startled her out of deep thought. 

"So, Michelle, I heard you're the captain of the school's decathlon team," Pepper smiled, "that's pretty impressive." Hearing a compliment from such a powerful woman caused Michelle to blush. What is her life right now? 

"Yeah, um, I am. But, I'm only taking over because Liz transferred," she coyly responded.

"Still, that's pretty amazing. I don't if I would have had what it takes to lead the decathlon team in high school successfully."

"I'm sure that if you can successfully run a billion-dollar company, you can run a high school decathlon team."

"Yeah, but still, it's impressive," Pepper smiled, "also, Peter mentioned that you're one of the best artists in midtown; what do you plan to do when you graduate?" 

"Graduate?" Michelle questioned. 

"Yeah, you are graduating in about a year or so," Pepper started, "this is a great time to start thinking about college applications and internships." 

"Yeah... you're right," Michelle said as she looked down. On most days, Michelle tries not to think about graduation and what to do after. Before her Grandmother passed, the plan was to go to college, get a decent job and look after her Grandmother. That was always the plan, but ever since that unfaithful night a year ago, that is no longer an option Michelle can accomplish. 

Tuition wasn't a problem for her since her Grandmother left her a sizable inheritance, which she can only access after turning 18. And if that weren't enough to cover everything, a scholarship wouldn't be that hard to achieve, considering the school she went to and her grades. Still, the curveball that was her Grandmother's death weighed on her like invisible chains held her down to the ground. Unwilling to let her take a step forward in life. 

"I guess I haven't been thinking about college or internships. I never really had the time. Juggling working and school blows at the time," Michelle confessed; she doesn't know why she did. The moment that she did, Pepper gave her an almost sad look. That's why Michelle doesn't tell anyone anything. It's the pitiful gaze of people she always wants to avoid. 

"Look, Michelle-" Pepper started.

"Please just call me MJ," Michelle interrupted, "my friends, they call me MJ."

"I know things must be tough right now, but if you need anything, please just give me a call," Pepper stated as she handed her a card with her number on it," or have Peter call me if you want. I know what you're going through, well, I probably don't exactly what it is, but I know how it feels to be too young and in a vulnerable position. Sometimes you need some to reach out. I hope I can be that person for you." 

Before Michelle had the chance to respond, Peter and Tony returned with ice cream and brownies. 

"What are you two lovely ladies talking about," Tony said, "were you talking about my handsome good looks?" 

Pepper laughed; she didn't bother to respond to him. Over the years, she learned that it was best to ignore the great Tony Stark. As much as Michelle enjoyed the easiness of it all, she knows that it soon has to end. All night it seemed as if Tony, Pepper, and Peter were avoiding conversation surrounding her attack. Michelle was grateful that they didn't make a big deal about it. 

Quickly night fell, and Michelle felt herself starting to fall asleep on the couch. It was easy getting comfortable around these people. After all, they did save her life. The pleasant conversation slowly became a white noise as her mind began to settle; the remaining tension in her body melts into the couch as a wave of relaxation washes over her. It's okay to drift, she tells herself; it is safe, she is safe. 

As she slept, dreams of her now passed Grandmother, Miss. Jones fills her with such warmth. Memories of her childhood dance around her as if being played by a projector. One after the other, they all played. The first time she learned to ride a bike, dance recitals, and even her first day at Midtown Tech. Her Grandmother was always there, always by her side, supporting her in whatever she wanted to do, also if she changed her mind within a week. 

That all changed when the memories abruptly began to burn away. Instead of warm images of Grandmother, it turned to cold red eyes. The same eyes that attacked her not long ago. It began to rush rapidly towards her. Panic ran through her body as she tried to get away, but it's like her body couldn't move; it refused to move. 

His hot breath pressed against her face as his red eyes stared into her own. A menacing grin found its way onto his face when he realized that his prey was trapped, helpless. He was ready to feast on her. All she could do was stand there and wait for him to take that fatal bite.

With eyes tightly shut, a scream ripped through Michelle's throat as his fans eventually dug their way into her. He was draining all the blood from her body. Her body began to shake, tremble. She could hear the whispers of someone saying her name. 

"MJ, wake up."

Her eyes snapped open, and her breathing laboured. Michelle expected to see red eyes, but she only saw brown. Her favourite pair of brown eyes. Peters. 

As she began to collect, Michelle noticed that she's drenched in sweat, and her surroundings are different. No longer in the living room, she’s now in a small bedroom, probably a spare bedroom. For a minute, they just sat there in silence, not knowing what to say. Peter was the first to break the silence.

"A-are you okay?" Peter asked. Is she? 

"I don't know," Michelle responded, " I don't normally get night terrors anymore." 

"Anymore, right," Peter whispers to himself. A look of concern danced across Peters's face. As if he wanted to say something, but he just didn't know-how. There's nothing he can say that could make any of this better. 

"Um, did I fall asleep on the couch?"

"Yeah, but I brought you hereafter. You looked relaxed sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you up," Peter said. Noticing that Michelle wasn't going to say anything else, he thought it was time for him to go back to his room. 

"Wait-," Michelle started, "I-i don't know if I'll be able to go back to sleep anytime soon. Could, um, could you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Her gaze went down as if she was embarrassed, fists grabbing the sheets. She wants him to say yes. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes," she answers quickly, "please."

Michelle pulls the blanket away from her so he could join her underneath. As he slid in beside her, her heart rate picked up. Soon she could feel the warmth of his skin beside her. 

“Hi,” Peter says with a soft blush on his cheeks. He snuggles himself closer to her; very carefully, Peter pullers her into him and wraps his arms around her. 

As Michelle gets comfortable, she responds, “hi.” 

If the situation were any different, then this moment would be perfect. Her and Peter cuddling in bed together. She could feel his hot breath slowly blowing on her cheek, the warmth of his hands wrapped around her. Michelle could even feel his heartbeat against her. It’s fast, like hers. 

A blush began to creep up her face. Wow, it's like a dream. Suddenly Peter turned to face her. He stares directly into her eyes. 

Michelle's heartbeat speeds up even more. It's so intense that she wants to look away, but for some reason, she can’t; her body won’t let her. They were so close together that she could feel every time that he exhales, and she pretty sure that he could as well. 

She wants to kiss him. Michelle doesn’t know what's keeping her from leaning forward to steal a kiss. Is it the uncertainty of how he might respond? Probably. God, why does he have to smell and look so good? It’s almost like she wants to; no one has to taste him. Peter Parker is intoxicating. 

Michelle decides against kissing Peter that night mainly because she's tired and kissing your best friend isn’t the best thing to do. This is something that she wants to remember, to feel in her toes. She wants her first kiss with Peter Parker to be memorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted in so long I at a lot of health challenges that came up.


End file.
